Server, control method therefor, computer-readable recording medium, and game system

ABSTRACT

A recording medium and server provide a game that improves the interest in and taste of a battle event and increases the interest in and real enjoyment of the entire game. The recording medium provides a game including a predetermined battle event comprising at least one battle. In a battle event of this game, game contents are displayed in a first field, and a player selects therefrom a game content to be used for a battle with an enemy character. The first field is replenished with another game content alternative to the selected game content as needed so that the player can further select an additional game content therefrom.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 15/943,867, filed Apr. 3, 2018,which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 15/391,157, filed Dec. 27,2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,956,481, which is a continuation of U.S. Ser.No. 14/929,738, filed Nov. 2, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,604,137, whichis a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/194,466, filed Feb. 28, 2014, nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,205,337, which is based on JP 2013-042162, filed Mar. 4,2013, JP 2013-177713, filed Aug. 29, 2013, and JP 2013-200439, filedSep. 26, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a server, a control method therefor, acomputer-readable recording medium, and a game system.

BACKGROUND

JP 2001-137534 A describes a card game device in which characters(called masters or the like) as player characters operated by playersmake a battle with each other on a game screen of a portable gamemachine using character cards that form a so-called deck. JP 2008-220984A describes a kind of role-playing game in which the game progresseswhile characters are playing a card battle using a deck according to apredetermined story. JP 4693936 describes an example of a battle gamebetween baseball teams consisting of players assigned to virtual tradingcards in a server-client system.

In deck battle games including the above-mentioned conventional games,players or characters (hereinafter simply called “players”) play a cardbattle using character cards as a general rule. In this regard, a playerselects a finite number of character cards (deck characters) that makean own deck from among multiple character cards (e.g., character cardsas items possessed by the player) prepared beforehand as the gamesetting. At this time, for example, the player can check on or predictthe personality (such as strength and favorite moves (favorite andsignature skills one is good at)) of an enemy character or an opponentplayer to create an arbitrary and desired combination of own deckcharacters.

In such conventional games, however, once a deck (a set of deckcharacters) is created, the deck formation cannot be changed in onebattle event (also called a quest or a turn). Then, an attack against anenemy character or an opponent character through the fixed deck isautomatically made. As a result, the player can do nothing but select acharacter card in the battle event as a primary interesting element ofthe game, or the player can only do very monotonous work such as tocontinuously hit a button or a switch to instruct, for example, anattack against the enemy character or the opponent character.

Further, it is so set that the kind and strength of the attack againstthe enemy character or the opponent character are generally determinedaccording to the kind, personality, attribute, and level of each of thecharacters that form the deck. On the other hand, since the deckformation is fixed and cannot be changed as mentioned above, even whentwo or more attacks are possible during one battle event, attackvariations are limited. Therefore, there are problems that the battleevent itself becomes stereotyped, and in some cases, that a player canpredict the result (win or loss) of a battle to some degree when a deckis formed.

As a result, the interest in and real enjoyment of the battle event andhence the entire game are reduced or lost, causing a problem of beingunable to urge players to participate in the game or drive theirmotivations to continue the game.

It could therefore be helpful to elicit the originality and ingenuity ofplayers to improve the interest in and taste of a battle event that wasmonotonous work in conventional products. It could also be helpful toprovide a server capable of providing a game that can raise players'motivation to participate in the game or continue the game, and that canamplify or increase the interest in and real enjoyment of the entiregame, a control method therefor, a program, and a game system.

SUMMARY

We thus provide:

(1) A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording aprogram that causes a computer, which is connected to a terminal deviceoperated by a player through a communication line, to provide a gameincluding a predetermined battle event comprising at least one battle,and is accessible to an information storage unit storing, as part ofinformation related to the game, information on plural kinds of playercharacters and at least one kind of enemy character associated with thepredetermined battle event, information on a game content correspondingto the player characters, information on a second parameter value foreach of the player characters and/or each of the game contents,information on a third parameter value for the battle or thepredetermined battle event, and information on a fourth parameter valuefor each of the player characters and/or each of the enemy characters,to perform steps of:

accessing the information, performing computation on the game, anddisplaying images of the game on the terminal device;

displaying a plurality of the game contents in a first field on theterminal device so that the player can select at least one desired gamecontent from the plurality of the game contents to attack the enemycharacter in the predetermined battle event;

displaying the corresponding fourth parameter value together with atleast one of the player character and the enemy character;

when the player selects the desired game content from the game contentsdisplayed in the first field, removing the game content selected by theplayer from the first field, and updating the first field with a newgame content alternative to the removed game content;

sequentially subtracting the second parameter value of the selected gamecontent from the third parameter value; and,

adding a predetermined amount to the third parameter value or restoringthe third parameter value at appropriate timing.

(2) A control method for a server connected to a terminal deviceoperated by a player through a communication line to provide a gameincluding a predetermined battle event comprising at least one battle,the server including an information storage unit for storing informationrelated to the game, and a control unit for accessing the information,performing computation on the game, and displaying images of the game onthe terminal device, the method comprising:

storing, in the information storage unit, as part of information relatedto the game, information on plural kinds of player characters and atleast one kind of enemy character associated with the predeterminedbattle event, information on a game content corresponding to the playercharacters, information on a second parameter value for each of theplayer characters and/or each of the game contents, information on athird parameter value for the battle or the predetermined battle event,and information on a fourth parameter value for each of the playercharacters and/or each of the enemy characters;

causing the control unit to display a plurality of the game contents ina first field on the terminal device so that the player can select atleast one desired game content from the plurality of the game contentsto attack the enemy character in the predetermined battle event,displaying the corresponding fourth parameter value together with atleast one of the player character and the enemy character, when theplayer selects the desired game content from the game contents displayedin the first field, removing the game content selected by the playerfrom the first field, and updating the first field with a new gamecontent alternative to the removed game content, sequentiallysubtracting the second parameter value of the selected game content fromthe third parameter value; and, adding a predetermined amount to thethird parameter value or restoring the third parameter value atappropriate timing.

(3) A server connected to a terminal device operated by a player througha communication line to provide a game including a predetermined battleevent comprising at least one battle, comprising:

an information storage unit for storing information related to the game;and

a control unit for accessing the information, performing computation onthe game, and displaying images of the game on the terminal device,wherein

the information storage unit storing, as part of information related tothe game, information on plural kinds of player characters and at leastone kind of enemy character associated with the predetermined battleevent, information on a game content corresponding to the playercharacters, information on a second parameter value for each of theplayer characters and/or each of the game contents, information on athird parameter value for the battle or the predetermined battle event,and information on a fourth parameter value for each of the playercharacters and/or each of the enemy characters,

the control unit displays a plurality of the game contents in a firstfield on the terminal device so that the player can select at least onedesired game content from the plurality of the game contents to attackthe enemy character in the predetermined battle event, displays thecorresponding fourth parameter value together with at least one of theplayer character and the enemy character, when the player selects thedesired game content from the game contents displayed in the firstfield, removes the game content selected by the player from the firstfield, and updates the first field with a new game content alternativeto the removed game content, sequentially subtracts the second parametervalue of the selected game content from the third parameter value; and,adds a predetermined amount to the third parameter value or restoringthe third parameter value at appropriate timing.

(4) A terminal device comprising:

a storage unit that stores, as part of information related to a game,(i) information on plural kinds of character cards in which a point forselecting a character and plural parameters are predetermined, (ii)information on a character in association with the character card, and(iii) information on point amount for selecting a character;

a display processing unit that displays the plural character cards in afirst field in a state of being arranged adjacent to one another, andamong the character cards displayed in the first field, that displays ina manner selectable by a player of the game the character card with apoint equal to or less than a point amount that increases as timepasses; and

a control unit that removes the selected character card from the firstfield, arranges or sends an instruction to arrange the charactercorresponding to the selected character card in a second field differentfrom the first field, and displays the new character card in the firstfield as a substitute for a removed character card,

wherein the display unit displays a new point amount obtained bysubtracting the point amount by the point of the selected charactercard; and

the character corresponding to the selected character card attacks anenemy character in the second field based on the plural parametersassociated with the selected character card, and the character card withthe point equal to or less than the new point amount is selectable bythe player.

(5) The terminal device according to (4), wherein the set of the pluralcharacter cards displayed in the first field at a first timing can bedifferent from the set of the plural character cards displayed in thefirst field at a second timing different from the first timing.(6) The terminal device according to (4), wherein a gauge that indicateschange in the point amount is displayed.(7) The terminal device according to (4), wherein the plural charactercards include a first character card and a second character card, arapidity set to the first character card is larger than a rapidity setto the second character card, and the point of the first character cardis smaller than the point of the second character card.(8) The terminal device according to (4), wherein the display unitdisplays the point of the character card in the first field.(9) The terminal device according to (4), wherein the control unitremoves the selected character card from the first field, and thendisplays in the second field in a state different from that in the firstfield.(10) A method of controlling a computer connected to another computerthrough a communication line to provide a game including a battle event,the method comprising:

storing, as part of information related to a game, (i) information onplural kinds of character cards in which a point for selecting acharacter and plural parameters are predetermined, (ii) information on acharacter in association with the character card, and (iii) informationon point amount for selecting a character;

causing a display processing unit to display the plural character cardsin a first field in a state of being arranged adjacent to one another;

among the character cards displayed in the first field, causing adisplay unit to display in a manner selectable by a player of the gamethe character card with a point equal to or less than a point amountthat increases as time passes;

causing a control unit to remove the selected character card from thefirst field, arrange or send an instruction to arrange the charactercorresponding to the selected character card in a second field differentfrom the first field, and display the new character card in the firstfield as a substitute of a removed character card; and

causing the display unit to display a new point amount obtained bysubtracting the point amount by the point of the selected charactercard,

wherein the character corresponding to the selected character cardattacks an enemy character in the second field based on the pluralparameters associated with the selected character card, and thecharacter card with the point equal to or less than the new point amountis selectable by the player.

(11) A non-transitory computer readable recording medium that records aprogram causing the computer to perform steps of:

storing, as part of information related to a game, (i) information onplural kinds of character cards in which a point for selecting acharacter and plural parameters are predetermined, (ii) information on acharacter in association with the character card, and (iii) informationon point amount for selecting a character;

causing a display processing unit to display the plural character cardsin a first field in a state of being arranged adjacent to one another;

among the character cards displayed in the first field, causing adisplay unit to display in a manner selectable by a player of the gamethe character card with a point equal to or less than a point amountthat increases as time passes;

causing a control unit to remove the selected character card from thefirst field, arrange or send an instruction to arrange the charactercorresponding to the selected character card in a second field differentfrom the first field, and display the new character card in the firstfield as a substitute of the removed character card; and

causing the display unit to display the new point amount obtained bysubtracting the point amount by the point of the selected charactercard,

wherein the character corresponding to the selected character cardattacks an enemy character in the second field based on the pluralparameters associated with the selected character card, and thecharacter card with the point equal to or less than the new point amountis selectable by the player.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram (system block diagram) showing apreferred example of a server.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram (system configuration diagram)showing one preferred example of a game system.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing part of a game procedure performed on theserver shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a configuration example of a gamescreen in part of the game procedure shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the configuration example of the gamescreen in part of the game procedure shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing another configuration example of thegame screen displayed in each turn Tu in part of the game procedureshown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the other configuration example ofthe game screen displayed in each turn Tu in part of the game procedureshown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the other configuration example ofthe game screen displayed in each turn Tu in part of the game procedureshown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the other configuration example ofthe game screen displayed in each turn Tu in part of the game procedureshown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1: game system-   2: terminal device-   2 a: screen-   7: finger-   8: geometric figure (indication of number of attacks)-   21: client computer (terminal device)-   22: mobile terminal (terminal device)-   61: AP gauge-   62: HP gauge-   100: server-   101: computing unit (control unit)-   102: ROM (information storage unit)-   103: RAM (information storage unit)-   104: external interface-   105: input unit-   106: external memory-   107: image processing unit-   108: slot drive-   109: audio processing unit-   110: network interface-   111: display monitor-   112: speaker device-   120: transmission path-   200: network (communication line)-   A31, B32, C33, D34, E35: character card-   A41, C43: selected character card-   AP: action point-   Ca, Cb, Cc, Cd, Ce: player character-   D1 to D5: selection indication-   Ea, Eb, Ec: enemy character-   Fb: battle field (second field)-   Fe: event field-   Fp: palette (first field)-   HP: hit point-   S1 to S10: step-   Tu: turn-   Y1 to Y7: selection candidate indication-   X1 to X5: skill exercise indication

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

We provide a server first connected to a terminal device operated by aplayer (game user, client) through a communication line to provide agame including a predetermined battle event. Further, the serverincludes an information storage unit that stores information related tothe game, and a control unit that accesses the information, performscomputation on the game, and displays images of the game on the terminaldevice.

Then, the information storage unit holds, as part of the informationrelated to the game, plural kinds of player characters associated withthe predetermined battle event, at least one kind of enemy character(opponent character), and information on a game content corresponding toeach of the player characters (representing the player character).Further, the control unit displays multiple game contents in a firstfield on the terminal device so that the player can select at least onedesired game content from the multiple game contents to attack the enemycharacter in the predetermined battle event. Further, when the playerselects the desired game content from the game contents displayed in thefirst field, the control unit removes the game content selected by theplayer from the first field (which may be erased from the display screenof the terminal device, or moved to and displayed in an area other thanthe first field such as a second field to be described later).Furthermore, the control unit updates (refills) the first field with anew game content alternative to the removed game content.

Note that the “game contents” denote contents or items capable of beingheld and managed by the player during the game. For example, the “gamecontents” include character cards, avatars, and figures corresponding toplayer characters to be handled in virtual game space, which is aconcept including so-called “objects.” Further, the “game contents” mayevoke player characters directly or indirectly (such as the names ofplayer characters, nominal designations thereof, weapons, clothes,costumes, spells, magic, moves, or associated characters). The “gamecontents” may be displayed as still images or moving images, or as merecharacter information rather than the images. In some cases, the “gamecontents” may not be visually recognizable or may be recognizablethrough the auditory sense alone such as audio information.

The player can connect the terminal device to the server configured assuch through the communication line to play the game including thepredetermined battle event online or offline. During the game, thecontrol unit included in the server accesses the information related tothe game and stored in the information storage unit. Then, the controlunit can perform various computations on the game using the informationto make the game progress along the settings while displaying gameimages as the computational results on the terminal device as gamescreens.

In the predetermined battle event of the game, multiple game contentscorresponding to player characters are displayed in the first field on(the display screen of) the terminal device as a result of processingperformed by the control unit. The player can select a desired gamecontent from the multiple game contents to attack the enemy character.Further, the game content selected by the player is removed from thefirst field, and the first field is updated (refilled) with a new gamecontent instead as needed.

Thus, candidates for a game content to be selected by the player toattack the enemy character using a player character are once displayedin the first field. From among them, the player can appropriately selecta game content to be actually used to attack the enemy character. Then,since the first field is updated with a new game content as needed, theplayer can further additionally select, from the first field, a gamecontent to be used to attack the enemy character. As a result, a set ofgame contents selected by the player (a stack or combination of gamecontents to attack the enemy character, which corresponds to the “deckformation” in the conventional, for example) is no longer settled andfixed in the battle event. In other words, the set (deck) of gamecontents can be changed in one predetermined battle event sequentiallyand desirably at the player's discretion. Therefore, the player'sintention and determination are reflected in the result of the win orloss of the battle event. The set (deck) of game contents selected bythe player from the first field can be called a variable deck or anon-fixed deck in terms of being able to be selected arbitrarily fromthe palette Fp.

More specifically, the information storage unit further holdsinformation on a first parameter value (amount) set for each of theplayer characters and/or each of the game contents as part of theinformation related to the game. It is also preferred that, whenupdating (refilling) the first field with a new game content alternativeto the game content removed from the first field, the control unitshould determine the kind of updated game content (corresponding playercharacter) based on the first parameter value.

In this case, in view of the fact that a player character and a gamecontent corresponding to the player character are associated with thebattle event, the following can be exemplified as “first parameters”(kinds of parameter rather than values): the rapidity of each playercharacter (the quickness or rapidness of an action or an attack), anaction point(s) (AP) of each individual player character or multipleplayer characters, health point or vitality (hit point; HP), attackpower to the enemy character, and the strength of a move that can beused by each player character. Note that “based on the first parametervalue” includes not only when the kind of updated game content isuniformly determined by the first parameter value, but also when thekind of updated game content is determined according to an occurrenceprobability weighted using the magnitude of the first parameter value.

This makes it easy for the player to predict (expect) the kind ofupdated new game content to some extend compared to when the new gamecontent updated to the first field is determined arbitrarily (atrandom). Thus, for example, when selecting desired game contents fromthe first field to form a deck, the player can develop an operation orstrategy to defeat the enemy character effectively and purposelyaccording to various attributes and the like set depending on the kindsof game contents. As a result, the discretion of the player in thebattle event can be increased, and the player's intention anddetermination can be clearly reflected depending on the result of thewin or loss of the battle event.

More specifically, the information storage unit holds, as part of theinformation related to the game, information on a second parameter valueset for each of the player characters and/or each of the game contents,and information on a third parameter value set for the predeterminedbattle event. It is also preferred that, when the sum (total amount) ofsecond parameter values of the game contents selected by the player isless than or equal to an upper limit of the third parameter value, thecontrol unit should permit the player to select these game contents. Inother words, the upper limit of the third parameter value as the totalcost available for selecting desired game contents from the first field(to form a deck) is first assigned to (set for) each player (user)participating in the battle event. Then, if the sum (total amount) ofsecond parameter values each of which is an individual consumption costset for each of the player characters and/or each of the game contentsis less than or equal to the available total cost (the upper limit ofthe third parameter value), the player can select desired game contentsto form a deck. For example, when the predetermined battle event can becomposed of multiple matches called “turns,” the third parameter valueset for the predetermined battle event can also be set for each turn.

As these “second parameters” and “third parameters” (kinds of parametersrather than values), those similar to the “first parameters” mentionedabove are exemplified. In other words, the rapidity of each playercharacter (the quickness or rapidity of an action or an attack), anaction point(s) (AP) of each individual player character or multipleplayer characters, health point or vitality (hit point; HP), attackpower to the enemy character, and the strength of a move that can beused by each player character can be exemplified (but not limited) as“second parameters” and “third parameters.” Further, the “secondparameters” may be the same as or different from the “first parameters”and/or the “third parameters.” Likewise, the “third parameters” may alsobe the same as or different from the “first parameters” and/or the“second parameters.”

This will require the player to compare the sum of second parametervalues set for selected game contents with the upper limit of the thirdparameter value to fall the sum within the upper limit (available totalcost) of the third parameter value. In other words, the player isrequired to select a set of game contents to make an attack on the enemycharacter while managing the second parameter value and the upper limitof the third parameter value. As a result, for example, the battle eventcan be prevented from becoming monotonous due to facile selection ofonly the game content of a player character that allows the player togive more damage to the enemy character. This can put psychological andintellectual loads on the player, further increasing the discretion ofthe player in the battle event.

Further, in this case, the control unit may sequentially subtract thesecond parameter value of the game content selected by the player fromthe third parameter value, and add a predetermined amount to the thirdparameter value at appropriate timing or restore the upper limit of thethird parameter value. The “appropriate timing” is not particularlylimited. For example, as mentioned above, when the predetermined battleevent is composed of multiple matches (turns), the upper limit of thethird parameter value may be restored as time passes in the middle ofeach turn. Alternatively, the upper limit of the third parameter valuemay be restored based on the damage given by the player character to theenemy character. Instead of or in addition to this, compiled values asthe third parameter value may be restored at the start or end of theturn.

Further, the information storage unit may hold, as part of theinformation related to the game, information on plural kinds of movesthat allow each of the player characters to attack the enemy characterand are different from one another in terms of damage given to the enemycharacter. When there are multiple game contents selected by the playerand the multiple game contents include ones corresponding to the sameplayer character, the control unit may be configured as follows, namely:A specific move can be determined from plural kinds of moves that can beused by the same player character according to numerical quantities ofthe game contents corresponding to the same player character to givedamage to the enemy character using the specific move determined.

In such a configuration, for example, the player can select gamecontents corresponding to the same player character purposely without abreak to exercise (throw) a different special move (e.g., special move)over (at) the enemy character in addition to moves normally used by theplayer character (normal moves). In other words, a game elementdifferent from the selection of game contents by the player is added inone battle event. This significantly increases the variations ofoperation or strategy for the player to defeat the enemy character,further increasing the discretion of the player.

Further, the control unit may display, in the first field, a state wheremultiple game contents are arranged adjacent to one another (a kind ofaligned state). In this case, after removing a game content selected bythe player from the first field, the control unit can rearrange the gamecontents remaining in the first field to move over or fill a regionwhere the removed game content was arranged. The control unit mayfurther update (refill) the region (blank region) caused by therearrangement with a new game content to display the remaining gamecontents and the updated new game content in a state of being arrangedadjacent to one another. In this case, the control unit may display(dynamically display) the movement of the game contents (so-called“fade-in” or “slide-in”) using moving images.

In addition, the control unit may redisplay the game content selected bythe player in a second field different from the first field in a stateidentical to or different from the state of being displayed in the firstfield. For example, the selected game content may be redisplayed in amode easy to confirm a player character of the game content selected bythe player.

Further, a control method for a server is a method of effectivelycontrolling the server mentioned above. In other words, the controlmethod is a control method for a server connected to a terminal deviceoperated by a player through a communication line to provide a gameincluding a predetermined battle event, the server including aninformation storage unit that stores information related to the game,and a control unit that accesses the information, performs computationon the game, and displays images of the game on the terminal device.

Then, in this method, plural kinds of player characters associated withthe predetermined battle event, at least one kind of enemy character,and information on a game content corresponding to each of the playercharacters are first stored in the information storage unit as part ofthe information related to the game. The control unit displays multiplegame contents in a first field on the terminal device so that the playercan select at least one desired game content from the multiple gamecontents to attack the enemy character in the predetermined battleevent. Then, when the player selects the desired game content from thegame contents displayed in the first field, the game content selected bythe player is removed from the first field. Further, the first field isupdated with a new game content alternative to the removed game content.

Further, a program establishes a connection to a terminal deviceoperated by a player through a communication line to provide a gameincluding a predetermined battle event. Specifically, the program causesa computer to execute the following steps, where the computer isaccessible to an information storage unit for storing, as part ofinformation related to the game, plural kinds of player charactersassociated with the predetermined battle event, at least one kind ofenemy character, and information on a game content corresponding to eachof the player characters.

Namely, the steps include the following steps of:

accessing the information, performing computation on the game, anddisplaying images of the game on the terminal device;

displaying multiple game contents in a first field on the terminaldevice so that the player can select at least one desired game contentfrom the multiple game contents to attack the enemy character the enemycharacter in the predetermined battle event;

when the player selects the desired game content from the game contentsdisplayed in the first field, removing the game content selected by theplayer from the first field; and

updating the first field with a new game content alternative to theremoved game content.

Furthermore, a game system includes a terminal device operated by aplayer and a server connected to the terminal device through acommunication line to provide a game including a predetermined battleevent. In other words, the game system includes an information storageunit that stores information related to the game, and a control unitthat accesses the information, performs computation on the game, anddisplays images of the game on the terminal device.

Then, like the server, the information storage unit holds, as part ofthe information related to the game, plural kinds of player charactersassociated with the predetermined battle event, at least one kind ofenemy character, and information on a game content corresponding to eachof the player characters. Further, the control unit displays multiplegame contents in a first field on the terminal device so that the playercan select at least one desired game content from the multiple gamecontents to attack the enemy character in the predetermined battleevent. When the player selects the desired game content from the gamecontents displayed in the first field, the control unit further removesthe game content selected by the player from the first field. Then, thecontrol unit updates the first field with a new game content alternativeto the removed game content.

The player can appropriately select a game content corresponding to aplayer character used to attack an enemy character in a battle event.Since a new game content alternative to the game content selected by theplayer is updated as needed, a set of game contents selected by theplayer can be changed sequentially and desirably at the player'sdiscretion. Therefore, the originality and ingenuity of the player inthe battle event can be elicited to improve the interest in and taste ofthe battle event that was monotonous work in the conventional. As aresult, the player is urged to participate in the game or the player'smotivation is driven to continue the game and, hence, the interest inand real enjoyment of the entire game can be amplified or increased.

An example will now be described in detail below. Note that the examplebelow is intended to be only by way of example to describe our server,method, medium and game system, and this disclosure is not limited tothe example alone. Various modifications can be made without departingfrom the scope of the appended claims. Further, those skilled in the artcan adopt any other example in which each component or element to bedescribed below is replaced with an equivalent one, and such an exampleis included in the scope of this disclosure. Positional relations suchas left, right, top, and bottom, indicated as needed are based on thoseshown in the drawings unless otherwise noted. Note further that variousdimension ratios in the drawings are not limited to the dimension ratiosshown. To facilitate the understanding, the following description willtake, as an example, one example is carried out by using a gameinformation processing apparatus, but this disclosure is not limitedthereto as mentioned above.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram (system block diagram) showing onepreferred example of a server. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram(system configuration diagram) showing one preferred example of our gamesystem. As shown in these figures, a server 100 is a server computerconnected to a network 200 as a communication line or a communicationnetwork relating to information processing such as the Internet. Apredetermined server program is run on the server computer to fulfill aserver function. Further, the server 100 and terminal devices 2 such asclient computers 21 and mobile terminals 22, connected by wire and/orwireless to the network 200 are set up to be communicable with oneanother to configure a game system 1.

The server 100 includes a computing unit 101 such as a CPU or an MPU, aROM 102 and a RAM 103 as storage devices, and an external interface 104to which an input unit 105 and an external memory 106 are connected. Theserver 100 also includes an image processing unit 107 to which a displaymonitor 111 is connected, a slot drive 108 into or to which a disk or amemory device is loaded or connected, an audio processing unit 109 towhich a speaker device 112 is connected, and a network interface 110.Then, these components connect to one another through a transmissionpath 120 such as a system bus, including, for example, an internal bus,an external bus, and an expansion bus. Note that devices responsible forinput/output of the input unit 105, the external memory 106, the displaymonitor 111, and the speaker device 112 may be omitted appropriately asneeded. Further, these devices may not always be connected to thetransmission path 120.

The computing unit 101 controls the entire operation of the server 100not only to exchange control signals and information signals (data) withthe other components mentioned above, but also to perform variousarithmetic processing necessary to execute a game. Therefore, thecomputing unit 101 can perform, in a fast-accessible storage area suchas a so-called register, arithmetic operations such as addition,subtraction, multiplication and division using an arithmetic logicalunit or the like, logical operations such as logical OR, logical AND,and logical NOT, and bitwise operations such as bitwise OR, bitwise AND,bitwise invert, bitwise shift, and bitwise rotate. The computing unit101 can also perform as needed a saturation calculation, a trigonometricfunction calculation, a vector operation, and the like.

An IPL (Initial Program Loader) first executed after power-on isgenerally recorded in the ROM 102. This IPL is executed so that thecomputing unit 101 will read a server program and a game program onceinto the RAM 103 to execute the program, where the program is recordedon a disk or in a memory device loaded in or connected to the slot drive108. An operating system program necessary to control the entireoperation of the server 100 and other various data are recorded in theROM 102.

The RAM 103 is to store the server program, the game program, andvarious data temporarily. In addition to the server program and gameprogram read as mentioned above, data necessary to the progress of thegame and communication between two or more terminal devices 2 are heldin the RAM 103. The computing unit 101 sets a variable area in the RAM103. The computing unit 101 also performs direct operations using thearithmetic logical unit on values stored in the variable area, or thecomputing unit 101 once copies or moves the values stored in the RAM 103to the register to perform direct operations on the register as well.Further, the computing unit 101 performs processing for writing theseoperation results back to the RAM 103.

The input unit 105 connected through the external interface 104 is toaccept various operations input by a user (game provider) of the server100. As the input unit 105, a voice input unit can be employed as wellas a keyboard, a touch pad, and a touch panel. Note that the kind ofdevice as the input unit 105 is not particularly limited as long as thedevice can input instructions such as various operations, a confirmationoperation, a cancel operation, and the display of a menu.

Rewritably stored in the RAM 103 and the external memory 106, removablyconnected through the external interface 104, are data indicative of theoperating conditions of the server 100, the access status of eachterminal device 2, and the game playing conditions and the stages ofprogress (the results in the past, and the like) on each terminal device2, log (record) data on communication between terminal devices 2, andthe like.

The image processing unit 107 processes the various data read from theslot drive 108 by the computing unit 101 or by itself, and recordsprocessed image information in a frame memory or the like. The imageinformation recorded in this frame memory is converted to a video signalat predetermined synchronization timing, and output to the displaymonitor 111 connected to the image processing unit 107. This enablesvarious images to be displayed. Further, in cooperation with thecomputing unit 101, image information on a game is sent from the imageprocessing unit 107 and/or the computing unit 101 to each terminaldevice 2.

The audio processing unit 109 converts the various data read from theslot drive 108 into audio signals, and outputs the audio signals fromthe speaker device 112 connected to the audio processing unit 109.Further, in cooperation with the computing unit 101, audio informationon the game (sound effects and music information) is sent from the audioprocessing unit 109 and/or the computing unit 101 to each terminaldevice 2.

The network interface 110 is to connect the server 100 to the network200. The network interface 110 includes, for example, an analog modem,an ISDN modem, or an ADSL modem, which conforms to each standard used inestablishing a LAN, a cable modem for connection to the Internet using acable TV line, and the like. The network interface 110 may also includean interface for connecting these to the computing unit 101 through thetransmission path 120.

A preferred example of a game implemented in the game system 1configured as such and the server 100 according to a game program willbe described below. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing part of a gameprocedure performed on the server 100, particularly showing a flowfocused on the evolution of a game screen to be displayed on a terminaldevice 2 operated by a player. FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are schematic viewsshowing configuration examples of game screens in some parts of the gameprocedure shown in FIG. 3.

Note that various processing (image or screen display, determination,calculation, and the like) in the procedure mentioned below is performedbased on control instructions from the computing unit 101 of the server100. In other words, the computing unit 101 functions as a “controlunit.” Further, various storage media with game information recordedthereon in addition to the ROM 102, the RAM 103, and the external memory106 mentioned above correspond to an “information storage unit.”

Example of Basic Game Progression

A player first operates a terminal device 2 (a client computer 21 or amobile terminal 22, or a tablet terminal or a smartphone) to connect theterminal device 2 to the server 100 through the network 200 such as theInternet. The player further operates the terminal device 2 to select agame provided from the server 100 or enter login information such as anID number or a personal identification number on a platform screenbefore the selection of the game. When recognizing the logininformation, the computing unit 101 of the server 100 displays, on theterminal device 2, my page unique to the player associated with the IDnumber (step S1). In this game example, a banner listing multiple scenes(e.g., locations, dungeons, quests) set as game scenes is displayed onthe my page screen. These scenes such as locations, dungeons, or questsmay be hierarchized as mutual or individual structures, or may not behierarchized.

Next, for example, when the player selects a battle type quest (apredetermined battle event) from the list of multiple scenes displayedon the terminal device 2, a preparation screen for the battle type questis displayed on the terminal device 2. Further, when the preparation forthe selected battle type quest is completed in the computing unit 101,an introduction screen thereof is displayed on the terminal device 2(step S2). The display of the battle type quest preparation screen andthe introduction screen may be a still image or a moving image, and aflash or the like can also be used. Then, the computing unit 101performs processing on a turn Tu (a step group surrounded by adashed-dotted line in FIG. 3) set for the battle type quest.

Further description will be made while referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 aswell. As a procedure of processing this turn Tu, an event field Fe and apalette Fp (character palette) are first defined on a screen 2 a of theterminal device 2 as display areas of game images to display respectiveconstituent elements in these display areas. In the example, playercharacters Ca to Cd (ally characters) represented by solid circles aredisplayed in the event field Fe as some of the constituent elements.Further, the palette Fp is a kind of “field” for displaying, as theconstituent elements, character cards A31, B32, C33, and D34respectively corresponding to the player characters Ca to Cd(respectively representing the player characters Ca to Cd). In otherwords, the palette Fp corresponds to a “first field,” and the charactercards A31, B32, C33, and D34 correspond to “game contents.”

FIG. 4 shows a layout example of the multiple character cards A31, B32,C33, and D34 at the start of a certain turn Tu. In the palette Fp of thescreen 2 a at this time, those character cards selected or determined ascharacters to be used in the battle event by the player or the computingunit 101 (game system) of the server 100 are displayed. In this example,a display area for six cards is defined for four kinds of charactercards in the palette Fp, and three character cards A31, and one each ofcharacter cards B32, C33, and D34 are displayed. These are representedby solid rectangles in FIG. 4 and displayed in a state of being arrangedadjacent to one another (a state of being aligned). Note that one eachof character cards A31 and C33 represented by dashed rectangles as shownare scheduled to be newly filled afterward, and displayed here in thesame drawing for convenience.

A numeric value of “rapidity” (quickness) unique to each of the playercharacters Ca to Cd is preset as a first parameter value in each of thecharacter cards A31, B32, C33, and D34, respectively. Each of therapidities RP(A), RP(B), RP(C), and RP(D) of the character cards A31,B32, C33, and D34 is displayed on the screen 2 a in a mode identifiableby the player. The display mode of the “rapidity” is not particularlylimited. For example, it may be a numeric value or the display of ageometric figure different in size, length, or numerical quantity.

This “rapidity” determines the frequency (probability) of appearance ofeach of the character cards A31, B32, C33, and D34 in the palette Fp.Based on the values of these rapidities RP(A), RP(B), RP(C), and RP(D),the computing unit 101 performs arithmetic processing such, for example,that the appearance frequency of a character card corresponding to aplayer character the rapidity of which is relatively high will be high.The player can select a desired character card from the character cardsA31, B32, C33, and D34 displayed on the screen 2 a as mentioned above.

A numeric value of “action point: AP” unique to each of the playercharacters Ca to Cd is also preset in each of the character cards A31,B32, C33, and D34. Each of the action point values is displayed on thescreen 2 a as AP(A), AP(B), AP(C), and AP(D) for each of the charactercards A31, B32, C33, and D34 in a mode identifiable by the player.Further, the total amount of action point AP (total AP amount)consumable in this turn Tu is set.

The action point unique to each of the player characters Ca to Cdrepresents the magnitude of damage that can be given by a normal move(normal or ordinary skill) used for an enemy character in a manner to bedescribed later. In the example, though not particularly limited, theaction points AP(A), AP(B), AP(C), and AP(D) unique to the playercharacters Ca to Cd are set to correlate with the rapidities RP(A),RP(B), RP(C), and RP(D) unique to the player characters Ca to Cdmentioned above. For example, a player character having relatively highrapidity RP (i.e., quicker player character) has a higher probability ofappearing in the palette Fp but the action point AP thereof is setsmaller. On the other hand, a player character having relatively lowrapidity RP (i.e., slower player character) has a lower probability ofappearing in the palette Fp but the action point AP thereof is setlarger. In other words, it is difficult for a player character withrelatively low rapidity RP to appear until player characters withrelatively high rapidities RP appear many times, and are selected andused by the player.

Then, when the player selects a desired card from the character cardsA31, B32, C33, and D34, the action point AP set for the selectedcharacter card is subtracted from the total AP amount consumable in theturn Tu. The player can continuously select desired character cardsuntil the total AP amount becomes zero. In other words, the player canselect desired character cards within such a range that the sum of theaction points AP of selected character cards does not exceed the totalAP amount.

Thus, the action point AP corresponds to a “second parameter” and a“third parameter,” and a value of the action point AP unique to each ofthe player characters Ca to Cd corresponds to a “second parametervalue.” Further, the total AP amount consumable in the turn Tucorresponds to a “third parameter value” and the “upper limit” thereof.As seen from the above, the total AP amount here corresponds to the“total cost available for selecting a desired game content from thefirst field (for forming a deck)” mentioned above, and a value of theaction point AP unique to each of the player characters Ca to Cdcorresponds to an “individual consumption cost set for each of theplayer characters and/or each of the game contents.” Note that a changein numeric value of the total AP amount consumable in the turn Tu isdisplayed, for example, as an AP gauge 61 in the event field Fe as shownin FIG. 4 to make it easy for the player to recognize it (step S3 thusfar).

According to the above setting, the player can compositively weigh thetotal consumable AP amount, the action points AP(A). AP(B), AP(C), andAP(D) unique to the respective player characters Ca to Cd and written inthe respective character cards A31, B32, C33, and D34, and therapidities RP(A), RP(B), RP(C), and RP(D) mentioned above. On thatbasis, the player can sequentially determine character cards to attackan enemy character, and select target character cards from the charactercards A31, B32, C33, and D34 once aligned and displayed in the paletteFp.

Next, the character cards A31 and C33 selected by the player are removedfrom the palette Fp. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, these charactercards A31 and C33 are redisplayed in the event field Fe as selectedcharacter cards A41 and C43 together with the player characters Ca toCd. At this time, the selected character cards to be displayed in theevent field Fe may be displayed in the same state (in terms of theshape, the size, and the like) as in the mode when they are displayed inthe palette Fp, or displayed in a state where the entire shape isreduced as shown.

In FIG. 4, a state is shown where three character cards A31 and onecharacter card C33 selected by the player from the palette Fp are movedto the event field Fe and rearranged adjacent to one another (arrow Yaindicate each track of the “movement”). In this case, the event field Fecorresponds to a “second field.” At this time, a state in which APvalues are consumed and hence the total AP amount is reduced ishighlighted by hatching in the AP gauge 61 in the event field Fe. Inother words, a state in which action point AP(A)×3+action point AP(C)×1written in the selected character cards A31 and C33 is reduced from thestate of the total AP amount perfectly filled is displayed in the APgauge 61.

When the character cards A31 and C33 to attack the enemy character areselected, and then moved and displayed from the palette Fp to the eventfield Fe, blanks once appear in the palette Fp in regions where thesecharacter cards A31 and C33 were arranged. Immediately after thatinstant, the character cards B32 and D34 remaining in the palette Fpmove (slide) to the left in the drawing to move over or fill the blankregions. Along with that, new character cards including the newcharacter cards A31 and C33 (dashed rectangles) shown in FIG. 4 appearfrom the right side on the screen 2 a and are filled in the palette Fp.FIG. 5 shows a state where the remaining character cards B32 and D34,and three character cards A31 and one character card C33 newly updatedare rearranged adjacent to one another (step S4 thus far).

At this time, the computing unit 101 always determines whether the totalAP amount in this turn Tu displayed in the AP gauge 61 is larger thanzero and whether a time elapsed from the start of the turn Tu is, forexample, before a preset, predetermined time (i.e., before thepredetermined time is elapsed) (step S5). When this condition issatisfied (Yes in step S5), the display of the event field Fe iscontinued in the upper region of the palette Fp on the screen 2 a. Then,the player can additionally select another character card from thecharacter cards rearranged as shown in the palette Fp in FIG. 5.

On the other hand, when the condition is not satisfied (No in step S5),the computing unit 101 moves the processing to the next step (i.e.,battle step). In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, a battle field Fb isdisplayed in the upper region of the palette Fp on the screen 2 ainstead of the event field Fe. In this battle field Fb, enemy charactersEa to Ec are displayed as the constituent elements in addition to theplayer characters Ca to Cd previously displayed. In this regard, theplayer characters Ca to Cd may also be displayed in another modedifferent from the mode displayed in the event field Fe (in terms of theshape, layout, and the like) such as to represent a battle state. Notethat, when the player selects a character card, the battle field Fb maybe displayed without displaying the event field Fe.

Further, for example, a so-called hit point HP as the health point orvitality is set to each of the player characters Ca to Cd prior to thestart of a battle. Then, during the battle, for example, when attacks bythe player characters Ca to Cd against the enemy characters Ea to Ec areinterrupted or after the turn Tu is repeated predetermined times, theplayer characters Ca to Cd are attacked by the enemy characters Ea toEc. When being attacked by an enemy character, the hit point HP ofcorresponding one of the player characters Ca to Cd is reduced accordingto the attack power. Note that the HP total amount of the playercharacters Ca to Cd is displayed as an HP gauge 62 within the battlefield Fb as shown in FIG. 5 to make it easy for the player to visuallyrecognize the HP total amount.

For example, “normal moves” and “special moves (special skills which canseverely or crucially damage enemies)” are preset for each of the playercharacters Ca to Cd as plural kinds of attacking moves (attackingskills) capable of being thrown at (exercised over) the enemy charactersEa to Ec. For example, the “normal moves” mean moves or skills withrelatively less damage to the enemy characters Ea to Ec, and the“special moves” mean moves or skills with relatively more damage to theenemy characters Ea to Ec. Damages that these normal moves and specialmoves can give to the enemy characters Ea to Ec may be set as alwayssteady values or as variables. In the latter setting, for example, thedamages are set to change arbitrarily according to the attributes(strength level, experience level, and the like) of the playercharacters Ca to Cd and/or the enemy characters Ea to Ec, theinterrelation between the player characters Ca to Cd and the enemycharacters, and the kind of battle type quest, and the like.

Further, in the example, a numeric value indicating how many more timesan enemy character is attacked using “normal moves” to exercise a“special move” is displayed near each player character. For example, inFIG. 5, information indicating that a special move is exercised afterthree attacks using normal moves is shown in a geometric FIG. 8 arrangednear the player character Ca. Further, information indicating that aspecial move is exercised after one attack using a normal move is shownin the geometric FIG. 8 arranged near the player character Cc.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, when the player character Ca throws“normal moves” at the enemy characters Ea to Ec continuously three moretimes before being attacked by the enemy characters, a combination ofmultiple normal moves (so-called “combo”) occurs. When a combo occurs, a“special move” is exercised as a bonus. The computing unit 101determines whether this combo has occurred (step S7), and when thecondition is satisfied (Yes in step S7), a screen for exercising a“special move” of the player character Ca (special move exercisingscreen) is displayed on the screen 2 a (step S8). This can damage theenemy characters Ea to Ec more seriously. On the other hand, when theplayer character Cc throws a “normal move” at the enemy characters Ea toEc one more time, a combo comes into effect and a “special move” isexercised, thus displaying, on the screen 2 a, the special moveexercising screen for the player character Cc (step S8). Note that theplayer can also specify one specific enemy character from the enemycharacters Ea to Ec to attack the enemy character with concentratedpower.

As mentioned above, when the player can select the same character cardcontinuously multiple times and the same player character correspondingto the character card can throw “normal moves” at enemy characterscontinuously multiple times, a combo occurs so that a “special move” canbe exercised. Therefore, the player is required to elaborate an advancedoperation or strategy within a limited time period to make a battle withthe enemy characters in the turn Tu develop in the player's favor. Inother words, the player needs to weigh the total AP amount consumablewithin the time period of step S4 mentioned above, the action points APunique to the player characters Ca to Cd, and the rapidities RP, andfurther to elaborate an advanced operation or strategy on how the combois generated.

Further, though not shown, numerical information indicating how manymore times each enemy character is attacked before attacking a playercharacter may be displayed near the enemy character. This enables theplayer to check on the timing of being attacked by the enemy character(i.e., how many more times the player character can afford to attack theenemy character before being attacked by the enemy character). This canenhance the enjoyment of the game such as to select a suitable charactercard from the palette Fp while taking the information further intoaccount.

On the other hand, when the same player character selected from theplayer characters Ca to Cd cannot throw “normal move” attackscontinuously multiple times in the turn Tu (No in step S7 because of nooccurrence of a combo), the battle is ended and the results aredisplayed on the screen 2 a, for example, (step S9). For example, thebattle results include the remaining amount such as the health point orvitality of the enemy characters Ea to Ec as an index of damage given tothe enemy characters Ea to Ec, the total AP remaining amount (the finalstate of the AP gauge 61 in the turn Tu), and the total HP remainingamount (the final state of the HP gauge 62 in the turn Tu).

After steps S3 to S9 are executed, the first turn Tu is ended, and thecomputing unit 101 determines whether the AP remaining amount is largerthan 0 and the HP remaining amount is larger than 0 (step S10). When thecondition is satisfied, i.e., when both the action point AP and the hitpoint HP remain, a subsequent turn Tu (after the first) of the battletype quest can be repeated again. On the other hand, when the conditionis not satisfied, i.e., when at least either of the action point AP andthe hit point HP does not remain, this battle type quest is ended, andthe game is further ended if desired.

According to the server 100 configured as mentioned above, the controlmethod therefor, the game program, and the game system 1, candidates forthe character cards A31, B32, C33, and D34 selected by the player tocause the player characters Ca to Cd to attack the enemy characters Eato Ec are once displayed in the palette Fp. Among the candidates, theplayer can appropriately select character cards used to actually attackthe enemy characters Ea to Ec. Then, the palette Fp is updated with newother character cards. Thus, the player can additionally select, fromthe palette Fp, character cards used to attack the enemy characters Eato Ec.

This enables the player to change the combination of character cardsused to attack the enemy characters Ea to Ec sequentially and desirablyat the player's discretion. Therefore, the player's intention anddetermination (as to whether the operation or strategy designed by theplayer is good or bad) are effectively reflected in the result of thewin or loss of the battle event. As a result, the originality andingenuity of the player in the battle event can be elicited to improvethe interest in and taste of the battle event that was monotonous workin the conventional. This can urge the player to participate in the gameor drive the player's motivation to continue the game, and hence theinterest in and real enjoyment of the entire game can be amplified orincreased.

Further, the player is required to weight, within a limited time period,the total AP consumable amount set for the turn Tu, the unique actionpoints AP set for the player characters Ca to Cd, and the rapidities RP.Along with this, the player is also required to select a strategicallyeffective character card efficiently. As a result, not only can thediscretion of the player in the battle type quest be increased, but alsoplayer's desires for interest can be satisfied. In addition, it is alsonecessary to elaborate an advanced and strict operation or strategy onhow a combo capable of throwing a “special move” is generated to win thebattle against the enemy characters Ea to Ec. As a result, thediscretion of the player in the battle type quest can further beincreased. This can further amplify or increase the interest in and realenjoyment of the entire game, further raising player's motivation toparticipate in the game synergistically.

Another Example of Game Progression

FIGS. 6 to 9 are schematic views showing another configuration exampleof the game screen displayed in each turn Tu (step S3 to S9) in somepart of the game procedure shown in FIG. 3. First, in this game screenexample, character cards A31, B32, C33, D34, and E35 (respectivelyrepresenting player characters Ca to Ce) to be displayed in the paletteFp are primarily arranged in two or more rows (e.g., in two rows) asshown in FIG. 6. This game screen example is configured in the same wayas the game screen example shown in FIG. 5 except that the playercharacter Ce and the AP gauge 61 are additionally displayed in thebattle field Fb. In this example, a display area for ten cards isdefined in the palette Fp for these five kinds of character cardsselected or determined by the player or the computing unit 101 (gamesystem) of the server 100 to be characters used in the battle event, andtwo character cards of each kind are displayed, respectively.

In addition to the display of bar graphs in the AP gauge 61 and the HPgauge 62 as respective gauges, a numeric value of the current APremaining amount/total AP amount (represented as xx/□□ in the drawings),and a numeric value of the current HP remaining amount/HP total amount(represented as ∘∘/ΔΔ in the drawings) may be displayed. Further, thedisplay of rapidities RP may be omitted from images of the charactercards A31, B32, C33, D34, and E35 as shown in FIG. 6.

Even in the palette Fp with these character cards A31, B32, C33, D34,and E35 arranged in two or more rows, the player can select any singlecard or a combination of two or more cards from these character cardsdisplayed. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the selected card(s) may bemoved and displayed from the palette Fp to the event field Fe, or erasedfrom the screen. In this case, a blank(s) once appears in the palette Fpin a region(s) where the selected character card(s) was arranged.

Immediately after that instant, character cards remaining in the paletteFp are updated to move over or fill the blank(s). At this time, forexample, the cards displayed in the upper row in the drawing move(slide) to the left in the drawing. Along with that, the cards displayedin the lower row in the drawing move to the left in the drawing in thesame way as the upper row while moving a character card(s) for fillingthe blank(s) in the upper row to the rearmost of the upper row. In otherwords, a character card(s) in this example is updated along thedirection of dashed arrows in FIG. 6. However, the way to updating thecharacter card(s) is not limited thereto. For example, there is a formof updating the character card(s) from each lateral side (left orright), upside, downside, or a random direction in two rows (lower andupper rows), or a form of making the character card(s) gradually appearin the blank region(s).

Referring next to FIGS. 7 to 9, the selection of character cards herewill be described in more detail. When the display of the terminaldevice 2 operated by the player is an electrostatic capacitive touchpanel, the player can select a character card at the touch of a screenregion of each of the character cards A31, B32, C33, D34, and E35displayed in the palette Fp of the screen 2 a.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the player touches, with a finger7, the leftmost character card A31 in the upper row in the drawing, aselection indication D1 is displayed in the character card A31. Thisselection indication D1 is not particularly limited. For example, thereis a form of displaying an appropriate geometric figure on the charactercard, a form of changing the brightness of an appropriate displayregion, or a form of blinking the character card.

Further, in the example, two or more character cards vertically orhorizontally (left, right, top, and bottom) adjacent to the touchedcharacter card are selectable continuously, and a screen display is soprovided that the player can recognize candidates for the selectablecharacter cards. Like in the aforementioned example, the player cancontinue to select a desired character card until the total AP amountbecomes zero. In other words, the player can select desired charactercards within such a range that the sum of the action points AP ofcharacter cards to be selected does not exceed the total AP amount.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, signs indicative of candidatescontinuously selectable after the character card A31 first touched andselected by the player are displayed. In other words, selectioncandidate indications Y1 to Y3 (e.g., arrowhead-shaped geometricfigures) indicating that a character card D34 located at the right sideof the character card A31, a character card D34 located diagonallydownward right, and a character card B32 located directly below areselection candidates are displayed. This enables the player tointuitively recognize character cards as the selection candidates. Then,the player can slide the finger 7 on the screen to trace these selectioncandidate indications Y1 to Y3 to select desired character cardscontinuously. Thus, the display of the selection candidate indicationsY1 to Y3 is a kind of auxiliary guidance for the player to selectcharacter cards.

FIG. 8 shows an exemplary state when the character card D34 and thecharacter card A31 in the lower row are traced with the finger 7continuously from the state shown in FIG. 7 (the state where theleftmost character card A31 in the upper row in the drawing is touched)(i.e., when the finger 7 is slid continuously on the image regions ofthese character cards without releasing the finger 7 from the screen 2a). At this time, selection indications D2 and D3 similar to theselection indication D1 are displayed on the character card D34 and thecharacter card A31 in the lower row. Further, a trajectory that connectsthese selection indications D1 to D3 is so displayed that the player canintuitively confirm and grasp the character cards already selected. Inaddition, selection candidate indications Y4 to Y7 similar to thosedisplayed around the leftmost character card A31 in the upper row inFIG. 7 are displayed around the character card A31 in the lower row lastselected at this point.

When the character cards are selected in this way, action points AP asthe costs therefor are consumed, and information on a numeric value ofthe remaining action point AP thus reduced is reflected in the AP gauge61 and the numeric value located above the AP gauge 61 (see FIG. 8).Further, the display is so set that, when the next character card isselected, the selection candidate indications Y1 to Y3 previouslydescribed and the selection candidate indications Y4 to Y7 here willdisappear from the screen 2 a. The cancellation of selection of acharacter card(s) (cancel processing) and/or reselection (resetprocessing) can also be performed. In this case, for example, the finger7 can be slid in a direction different from the selection candidateindications Y1 to Y7 to cancel the selection of all the character cardsselected by that time or the previous selection to make a reselectionfrom the beginning. To be more specific, the “sliding in a directiondifferent from the selection candidate indications Y1 to Y7” means that,when the finger 7 is positioned on a character card in the upper row,the finger 7 is slid to trace the screen from the position toward theupward side. Alternatively, when the finger 7 is positioned on acharacter card in the lower row, the finger 7 may be slid to trace thescreen from the position toward the downward side.

Further, for example, specific moves called skills may be preset forplayer characters so that, when the situation is in a state of beingable to throw the specific moves (i.e., when the skills are exercised),indications (signs) indicative of the state may be added to images ofcharacter cards arranged in the palette Fp. When the skills areexercised over two or more player characters, these character cards maybe linked and selected together so that a combo move as a combination ofthese skills will be exercised. Like the exercise of a special moveresulting from the occurrence of a combination of normal moves (combo)mentioned above, the exercise of such a combo move can give great damageto the enemy characters Ea to Ec. Thus, it can be said that purposelylinking of character cards that are exercising skills to exercise acombo move and the selection of the character cards together are also aform of the occurrence of a combo.

FIG. 9 is a screen example showing an example of the selection ofcharacter cards to trigger the exercise of a combo move. The finger 7 isshifted from the state shown in FIG. 8 (the state where the selection ismade up to the character card A31 in the lower row on the screen) in anupper right direction to a character card C33 in the upper row along theselection candidate indication Y6, and five character cards up to acharacter card E35 on the immediately right of the character card C33are further selected without a break. In the images of these fivecharacter cards, for example, star-shaped skill exercise indications X1to X5 are displayed to indicate that skills are exercising. Then, acombo move is exercised with significantly enhanced attack power as aresult of linking and selecting these character cards together. In thiscase, the skills may not be exercised over all the selected charactercards. When skills are exercised over some of the character cards, theattack power (strength) of the combo move may be adjusted according tothe number of character cards exercising the skills. Further, asillustrated in FIG. 9, of course, only some of the character cardsexercising the skills may be selected. In addition, the display of thepalette Fp (character palette) itself may be erased from the screen 2 aafter completion of the selection of character cards by the player(i.e., completion of an attack instruction). This can expand a battledisplay area in the battle field Fb, and hence a more powerful image canbe displayed.

Note that, as mentioned above, this disclosure is not limited to theaforementioned example and the variations already mentioned, and thatvarious modifications are possible as long as the spirit of thedisclosure is not changed. For example, the configuration of the server100 shown in FIG. 1 is also adapted to the client computer 21 and themobile terminal 22 as terminal devices 2 despite some differences inthroughput and the like. In other words, the client computer 21 and themobile terminal 22 can be used as servers 100, i.e., any of computersconnected through the network 200 can function as a server.

Further, in the server 100, mass-storage devices such as a hard disk andan SSD may be used to perform functions equivalent to those of the ROM102, the RAM 103, the external memory 106, and the memory device loadedinto the slot drive 108. These storage devices may not be made redundantby a RAID, or may not be connected to the computing unit 101 through atransmission path 120. For example, these storage devices may connect toany other external apparatus through the network 200 as part of cloudcomputing.

Further, the network interfaces in the server 100 and the terminaldevice 2 may be either of wireless LAN devices and wired LAN devices,and the network interfaces may be internally mounted, or may be of anexternal device type such as a LAN card. Further, a game machineconnectable to the network 200 may be used as the terminal device 2, orotherwise, a communication karaoke machine can be used, for example.

In addition, the game settings in a battle event are also not limited tothe specific examples in the aforementioned example. For example, theplayer can cooperate with another player (other players) participatingin the game system 1 to progress the battle event. In this case, whenboth attacks from own player characters and attacks from playercharacters of the other player against enemy characters generate combos,another move with larger attack power than each “special move” (forexample, “combo special move” if named) may be able to be exercised.Further, when the player selects only a character card(s) with lowrapidity RP and large action point AP, the number of occurrences of acombo can become inconveniently large (such as to exceed an assumedlimit). To prevent this, processing to increase the frequency of attacksby enemy characters may be performed to increase the difficulty level.As a method therefor, for example, there is processing to reduce thenumber of times until the start of the attacks by the enemy charactersmentioned above.

It is also preferred to set the layout and rules when character cardsare arranged in the palette Fp as follows: For example, an upper limit(total cost) available when character cards used in a battle event areselected or determined by the player (user) or the computing unit 101(game system) of the server 100 is set. Then, a cost associated witheach character card is also set so that character cards can be selectedor determined within the total cost. Specifically, in the example ofFIG. 4, it is essential only that the sum of consumption costs (totalamount) of four kinds of character cards A31, B32, C33, and D34 shouldnot exceed the upper limit (total cost) available in the battle event.The character cards selected or determined as such are arranged anddisplayed in the palette Fp based on predetermined rules. Even in theexample of FIG. 6, it is essential only that the sum of consumptioncosts (total amount) of five kinds of character cards A31, B32, C33,D34, and E35 should not exceed the total cost used in the battle event.The character cards selected or determined as such are displayed in thepalette Fp.

As described above, the server, the control method therefor, theprogram, and the game system can elicit the originality and ingenuity ofthe player in the battle event to improve the interest in and taste ofthe battle event that was monotonous work in the conventional. This canurge the player to participate in the game or drive the player'smotivation to continue the game, and amplify or increase the interest inand real enjoyment of the entire game. As a result, it is possible tomake wide and effective use for games in general, which are delivered,provided, and performed particularly in a server-client type networkstructure, software and hardware related technologies in general, whichare related to delivering, providing, and performing the games, andfurther activities of designing, manufacturing, and selling the games.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A terminal device comprising: a storageunit that stores, as part of information related to a game, (i)information on plural kinds of character cards in which a point forselecting a character and plural parameters are predetermined, (ii)information on a character in association with the character card, and(iii) information on point amount for selecting a character; a displayprocessing unit that displays the plural character cards in a firstfield in a state of being arranged adjacent to one another and in amanner such that the character card with the point equal to or less thanthe point amount is selectable by a player of the game, the point amountincreasing as the time passes irrespective of user's operation; acontrol unit that sends an instruction to remove the selected charactercard from the first field, to arrange the character corresponding to theselected character card in a second field different from the firstfield, and to display a new character card in the first field assubstitute of the removed character card; wherein, when a player selectsthe character card, the point amount is subtracted by the point of theselected character card and the character card with the point equal toor less than the renewed point amount, which increases as the timepasses irrespective of user's operation, is selectable by the player;and wherein the character corresponding to the selected character cardis configured to attack an enemy character in the second field based onthe plural parameters associated with the selected character card. 2.The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the character card assubstitute of the removed character card is displayed so as to fill theregion where the removed character card was arranged.
 3. The terminaldevice according to claim 1, wherein the character card as substitute ofthe removed character card is determined arbitrary.
 4. The terminaldevice according to claim 1, wherein the set of the plural charactercards displayed in the first field at first timing can be different fromthe set of the plural character cards displayed in the first field atsecond timing different from the first timing.
 5. The terminal deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein a gauge for indicating change in the pointamount is displayed.
 6. The terminal device according to claim 1,wherein the plural character cards include a first character card and asecond character card, the rapidity set to the first character card islarger than the rapidity set to the second character card, and the pointof the first character card is smaller than the point of the secondcharacter card.
 7. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein thedisplay unit displays the point of the character card in the firstfield.
 8. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the controlunit removes the selected character card from the first field, and thendisplays in the second field in a state different from that in the firstfield.
 9. A method for controlling a computer connected to anothercomputer through a communication line to provide a game including abattle event, the method comprising: storing, as part of informationrelated to a game, (i) information on plural kinds of character cards inwhich a point for selecting a character and plural parameters arepredetermined, (ii) information on a character in association with thecharacter card, and (iii) information on point amount for selecting acharacter; causing a display processing unit to display the pluralcharacter cards in a first field in a state of being arranged adjacentto one another and in a manner such that the character card with thepoint equal to or less than the point amount is selectable by a playerof the game, the point amount increasing as the time passes irrespectiveof user's operation; causing a control unit that sends an instruction toremove the selected character card from the first field, to arrange thecharacter corresponding to the selected character card in a second fielddifferent from the first field, and to display a new character card inthe first field as the substitute of the removed character card; andwhen a player selects the character card, subtracting the point amountby the point of the selected character card, and the character card withthe point equal to or less than the renewed point amount, whichincreases as the time passes irrespective of user's operation, beingselectable by the player; wherein the character corresponding to theselected character card is configured to attack an enemy character inthe second field based on the plural parameters associated with theselected character card.
 10. A non-transitory computer readablerecording medium that records a program causing the computer to performsteps of: storing, as part of information related to a game, (i)information on plural kinds of character cards in which a point forselecting a character and plural parameters are predetermined, (ii)information on a character in association with the character card, and(iii) information on point amount for selecting a character; causing adisplay processing unit to display the plural character cards in a firstfield in a state of being arranged adjacent to one another and in amanner such that the character card with the point equal to or less thanthe point amount is selectable by a player of the game, the point amountincreasing as the time passes irrespective of user's operation; causinga control unit that sends an instruction to remove the selectedcharacter card from the first field, to arrange the charactercorresponding to the selected character card in a second field differentfrom the first field, and to display a new character card in the firstfield as the substitute of the removed character card; and when a playerselects the character card, subtracting the point amount by the point ofthe selected character card, and the character card with the point equalto or less than the renewed point amount, which increases as the timepasses irrespective of user's operation, being selectable by the player;wherein the character corresponding to the selected character card isconfigured to attack an enemy character in the second field based on theplural parameters associated with the selected character card.
 11. Theterminal device according to claim 1, wherein a set of character cardsis repeatedly displayed in the first field as the new character card.12. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the point amountis not subtracted until the character card is arranged in the secondfield.
 13. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the pointamount continuously increases except when the character card is arrangedin the second field.